Hi all, I'll try not to make this too long.
The same lady has cut my hair on and off, but mostly on, for nigh on 30 years now. During this time she's mostly worked out of her home so appointments are always relaxed and informal and over the years she has become a friend. I had my children during these years who have often been with me for haircuts and they also really like her and like going to her house. Recently she's been through a terrible time and lost her husband after he was diagnosed with cancer only months before so, understandably, she didn't work for a while and another friend of mine, also a hairdresser, did it for me. She did a brilliant job of it, better than my regular hairdresser/friend plus it's so convenient as we live in the same village and she also works from home so I can pop there after the school run etc. However I feel so bad dropping my original lady at this awful time in her life and sad as the kids think a lot of her too and vice versa. I know we could ostensibly remain friends and still see each other but I don't think that'd happen as I think she'd be hurt. Has anyone else been in this situation and, if so, how did you deal with it? Any advice at all though would be gratefully received! TIA